Adjustable tie straps for various purposes have been developed over a substantial period of time. The type of strap to which the present invention pertains comprises a flexible plastic strap of uniform width and thickness having longitudinally spaced elongated openings between opposite ends thereof and rows of similar notches along opposite edges of the strip for purposes of engagement of a selected pair of opposed notches with the opposite sides of one of the slots, after twisting and inserting one end of the strap through said slot to effect a suitable encircling loop by said strap around a bundle of objects or the neck of a bag, for example, and then reversely twisting the strap in said opening to effect such engagement.
Tie straps of many kinds are very popular at present, one common use thereof being to secure the necks of plastic trash or garbage bags. One very common form of strap to accomplish this comprises a strap of plastic having an elongated opening in one end and V-shaped notches being formed along opposite edges of the strap for engagement of a shoulder of one notch or more in the opposite edges of the slot through which the strap is inserted. Examples of straps of this type are illustrated in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,311 to Martin et al, issued Sept. 3, 1963; U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,095 to Evans, issued Apr. 15, 1969, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,200 to Orenick, dated Dec. 30, 1969. There also is a French Pat. No. 1,309,873 to Laguerre, dated Oct. 15, 1962, having another form of the above-described type of strap.
A further form of strap is shown in another French Pat. No. 1,438,115, to Robert, dated Mar. 28, 1966, in which a series of elongated openings are formed in the strip between which a limited number of pairs of opposed notches also are formed and thereby provide a somewhat elaborate type of adjustable means for forming presumably an encircling band although no such band is illustrated.
There also are British Pat. Nos. 353,898 to Brinson, dated July 23, 1931, and 698,696 to North Midland Engineering Co., dated Oct. 21, 1953, which show supporting straps in which limited numbers of openings are formed in a tape, together with very widely spaced notches on opposite edges to form connections especially of the opposite ends in the nature of a sling.
Still other forms of bands are formed in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,784,476 to Bergdal, dated Mar. 12, 1957, and 3,224,054 to Lige, dated Dec. 21, 1965, in which certain openings are formed in tapes, together with notches in opposite edges respectively to form a band around a bundle and secure concrete forms to uprights. The purpose in citing these is to show a full range of pertinent prior art.
The adjustable tie strap of the present invention is for similar purposes as, but of a different nature than, the strap comprising the subject matter of applicant's co-pending application, Ser. No. 281,022, filed July 6, 1981, entitled Adjustable Tie Strap.